Galanthus in April 2013

[Janis Ruksans]

My Leucojum vernum carpathicum naturalised where many, many years ago were snowdrop-snowflake beds

[Alan_b]

That's fantastic, Janis.  Why do you think the snowflakes naturalized where the snowdrops did not?

[Anthony Darby]

Gause's competitive exclusion principle?

[David Nicholson]

Gause's competitive exclusion principle?

Is that anything to do with bandages?

[Anthony Darby]

Yes, banned ages ago.

[David Nicholson]

 

[Alan_b]

Gause's competitive exclusion principle?

In my garden I had a mixed clump of Leucojum aestivum and Galanthus nivalis (possibly x plicatus) from which the snowdrops vanished from one year to the next.  I presume this was because the bulbs were eaten in preference to leucojum bulbs.  On the other hand, it's a bit too dry for the leucojums to be really happy so snowdrops tend to bulk up faster when not attacked.

So  my question to Janis is why do the conditions in that locale favour lLeucojum over Galanthus. 

[Anthony Darby]

Would each thrive if the other was absent?

[johnw]

Alan  - Here L. vernum spreads proifically by seed whereas G. nivalis seems only to spread by division or rolling about.

For some reason nivalis appears to be forming good seed pods in the garden this year.    We've been fooled before though.

johnw

[Alan_b]

I've never managed to keep Leucojum vernum for more than a year in my garden!  Probably it likes it wet.

[brianw]

I have a dry well drained chalky soil in my current garden, which because of the many pots gets watered in the summer, but never gets water-logged in winter. Snowdrops seem to grow anywhere in it.
I have 2 clumps of the Leucojum. One is close to a clump of Polystichum setiferum fern and grew well to start with but has declined as the fern grows bigger. Another later planted clump just 3 feet away has increased to many bulbs, and this is under things like Cyclamen hederifolium, Pulmonaria and various weeds for much of the year. Both are within 6" of a paved path which probably keeps the area damp for much of the year. The 2 clumps can only really differ in summer as regards soil water content.

[Janis Ruksans]

Although it is May, not worth to start new topic. I'm afraid that snowdrops are blooming only here. This is unusual and constant form of Galanthus platyphyllus.

[Ru]

Good looking!!!